Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cellphone]

If you work at hagwon or similar esl field (pub school, etc), and you have one or a few other foreigner co worker esl teachers, is it at all possible or even normal that the foreigners at the school stay away from one another, even excessively like avoiding each other, throughout a year? Or is there a necessity at all that the teachers need to some how keep normal healthy, if not business relations?

If two teachers were completely incompatible would it be acceptable that they completely avoid each other, even while in a same space?

[d503]

there is one other foreign teacher at my school but we work primarily opposite shifts. I wouldn't say we avoid each other, we are pleasant when we see each other in passing. We also aren't buddy buddy because we rarely see each other. So as in any job, I say keep it civil, but you don��t have to marry the other teacher.

[cellphone]

I see.

The two teachers that I'm thinking of they really may be big opposites. The other possibility is that one of them is a bit of a wierdo and the other simply doesn't want to have any involvement, but who knows. (They're both males). That's not what's important in as much as they really can be potential opponents of the other. Therefore one would ask if it's normally acceptable in the hagwon business that, even while everyone (all teachers) are in one sole office, that some teachers completely avoid another.

[lookingtoteach]

Looking back, I am so grateful that that wasn't the way it was at my hagwon. On my first full day there, before I had even met her, one of the foreign teachers at my school invited me out for an evening with her friends. There were two other teachers at my school, besides her, and my apartment was between theirs. Admittedly one of them was a tad eccentric and all of the teachers, foreign and Korean, stayed away from him. But all of us (except him) did lots of things together during the week and on weekends. When the hagwon hired two more teachers, they were included in the festivities. They are what kept me sane. It was not kosher for the Korean teachers to mingle with the foreigners at this school.

[jajdude]

Well, if you dislike someone...

[mindmetoo]

I have no fellow foreign teacher at my school. I used to work with one and we bonded well. I was so happy to find such a good friend. Then the school turned ass and let him go. I was crushed.

My friend works in Bundang and seems to work with a collection of social misfits. The guys boast how big their schlongs are. Her female co-teacher from Hamilton spends her day obsessing about pot and can't seem to wake up before 1 pm to keep shopping dates.

It's a crap shoot ultimately.

[Grotto]

my first year here I was in a hogwan with 6 other foreign teachers. All Americans(not that it matters).

There were 2 women and 5 men(boys).

One lady was very nice, a Texan in her 50's who was great. Nice lady all round helped show me around Suwon and Seoul, introduced me to some of her Korean friends and not a mean bone in her body.

One was a biatch with a capital B. She was a total stereotype of a ghetto princess wannabe. How she got a job teaching was beyond me, she didnt speak English all that well, liked to teach her students ebonics and listened to gangsta rap all the freaking time. Her attitude was one of a: my crap dont stink broomstick shoved up her ass biatch!

Of the guys:

One was the most effiminate men I have ever met....not sure if he was gay but he sure acted like a flamer! Guy was definately a clothes horse. He left after 6 months to pursue a carreer in the army as a transport pilot. When he left he had over 60 pairs of shoes and more clothes than you could shake a stick at! He spent on average about 800,000 won a month on clothes. He also used enough deoderant it was a wonder he didnt suffer chemical burns. He literally spackled his underarms with it, after a shower the drain would be clogged with antipersperant!

One was a freak, he liked to write pedophealiac stories involving himself and his students. He also liked to argue how this was normal and acceptable....ewwww. He was also a total *beep*! One of his previous roomies tried to strangle him in his sleep...wonder why

One was a total jock, came over after getting his phys-ed degree. Thought anyone over 30 was a loser, only liked white blond haired 6 foot tall women...but did spend the vast majority of his paycheque on hookers. He was also the biggest slob I have ever seen, when he left they couldnt believe the mess in his apartment......literally a couple of feet of takeout containers, food and cockroaches blanketing his apartment. There was a path from his bed to the door and to the washroom the rest was two feet deep in boxes, bags and bugs.

One was a total sheep, had no opinion or thoughts of his own. Went with the gang, as far as I know he is still here at the same hogwan chasing the same Korean coworker he has been after for 3 years. She keeps him strung along and spends his money but he still hasnt managed to 'close the deal' if ya know what I mean.

The young people formed a type of high school clique that basically went out on weekends, hung around in bars and generally badmouthed all things Korean.

When I first arrived here I tried to fit in with them and went out a few times. Their constant negativity turned me off big time. One of the other deal breakers was when they went out they would run up tabs of 200,000 won +. One time they ran up a 700,000 won tab, I arrived later on and had 2 beers( out of a jug) when the bill came they said everyone kick in 120,000 won. I threw down 10,000 won and told them there was no way I was going to kick in 120,000 won for two beers. Of course that pissed them off as I was unreasonable in not paying for their booze

Worst 6 months of my life! Once black biatch was gone it was alot better.

[FUBAR]

700,000 won??? WTF did they order???

[Grotto]

they had arrived there at about 3 PM on a Saturday, started off with a bottle of scotch(120,000) two bottles of French wine for the biatch(60,000 won each) they all ate, twice I think. Add in the fact that they were drinking Heinekin or Tuborg for the most part at about 7,000-8,000 won a bottle it doesnt take long to run up a big tab.

I got there about 10:30 PM that night, sat down had my two beers and then they decided to go to a noreabang so it was time to ante up.

[mindmetoo]

[crazylemongirl]

Last year I got on reasonably well with my co-workers. We went out for drinks and dinner frequently. We were lucky that personalities complimented eachother so that we could work and socalise together queit well. Now that we dno't work together we have dirfted apart a lot.

this year I'm the sole waygookin but live in a house full of waygooks. i get on really well with some of the waygooks, ok with some, and some hate my guts. But it doesn't really bother me as I'm not the type to hang out for universal popularity.

I think the key is that if you make friends with the people you work with that's great, but don't feel obligated to be best friends with people you don't like just because you are white and work at the same place.

[cellphone]

hey thanks for all the replies so far.

personally I'd like to hear some people speak out on situations they've had in which co-workers were either somewhat not getting along, or situations in which there was basically backstabbing, if not directly through actions, perhaps more through general "attitude," gossip, or occasional slights towards each other. people giving each other jeers, making rather discomforting comments. again this doesn't have to be direct such as harassment, but more just general bad attitude that comes out now and then.

How did you deal with it? or what do you think is a good practice to working with it?

Foreign co-workers I see could have a big impact on one another; or, the question is, do they? Would like to hear comments on experiences or first hand accounts on that matter, particularly anyone who's been in that boat.

[crazykiwi]

yeah, last year there was a big problem with a number of our co-workers. there were 8 of us forigners and 8 koreans, bug school! there was some major probs with a couple in particular and yes it is difficult to stay outa fit. as to avoiding the problems, also very hard as i had to live with one of the problem girls! but generally i gave up caring, managed to ignore all the petty bollocks that went on, and eventually got the girl to get asked to move from our place.

[fondasoape]

Stay under the radar. Be nice to everyone but get close to none. Most importantly, never miss an opportunity to keep your mouth shut.

[Grotto]

as I said in my previous post I got along with some and did not get along with others.

Slights: the 'clique' gave me the silent treatment for 4 months I guess it was supposed to upset me or make me feel ostrasized but all it did was make me feel relieved that I didnt have to listen to their bullcrapola any more! I just returned the favor.

Backstabbing: Myself and the Texan lady had invited some of her Korean friends to visit for a spaghetti dinner. I made up a big batch of spaghetti, sauce, garlic bread and a tossed salad. The black biatch came home(oh yeah they put a guy in with two women) breezed past us and our guests, the Koreans greeted her but she ignored them and went to her room and slammed the door. Then she proceeded to put on her ghetto rap crap at full volume, the Texan asked her to turn it down a notch and she turned it up even more. A second or two later the biatch storms out of the apartment leaving her stereo on full blast. I walked over to the fusebox and clicked the power to her bedroom off, thereby killing the music.

Next day at school she was telling everyone that I went into her bedroom, that I do it all the time, I was stealing from her, money and stuff and generally badmouthing Americans.(which was true, the badmouthing thing) Luckily the effeminate guy was also at the party and told everyone that I never went into her bedroom I just hit the fusebox.

Eventually things reached a level of animosity that soon reached epic proportions. Her biatchiness would come home, turn on the TV and watch a show...no problem, sometimes I would finish cooking my dinner and sit down to eat and watch the show. The minute I did she would just jam her fat finger down on the channel change button and hold it there hoping that I would leave. As I can be as stubborn as the next guy(and having 3 sisters) I learned how to deal with biatchy women a long time ago. I would sit there and read my book until she gave up in total frustration.

One evening I was home watching Star Trek and the biatch walks in goes into her bedroom and turns her stereo on full blast. So I turn the TV up full blast well she just cranks her stereo up all the way so I go over to the fuse box and turn off the power to her bedroom well she comes out and decides to 'put me in my place'

She tells me that I am an effing loser who couldnt get a job in Canada so I had to come to Korea

I point out to her that statement would apply to her and her friends as well If being in Korea teaching English makes one a loser then she is a loser too!

She decides to haul out the big guns now! "you are fat"!

Oh my god! I am fat Well since I am quite comfortable with who I am and my size it didnt really bother me

BUT Having had three sisters I knew the way to kick her in the proverbial balls. I'm fat Take a look at your ass Biatch! It's so freaking huge it has its own zip code. When you walk it looks like two fifty pound pumpkins.

Even more enraged she reaches deep into her vocabulary and calls me ugly .

Well I pointed out to her that her lips flap in the breeze, every Korean on the planet thinks she is 'dirty' I wouldnt copulate with her using my worst enemies phallus! I also took this opportunity to mention her hygene, she stunk, not just the cigarettes and booze but going into a washroom after her was an open invitation to vomit.

I also pointed out what winning lifestyle she had, going out getting drunk and rejected by every white and black guy in Suwon. How she has to sleep with a bucket next to her bed in case she puked....of course I also told her she could solve this problem by removing any mirrors in her room.

Needless to say the school decided to opt for single accomodations for all teachers about a month after that.